In this chapter we will look at the matter of the prayer of warfare. If we have seen that the prayers of greatest worth are prayers in ascension, then we can easily understand that prayer is a warfare, and we will utter prayers of warfare. Such is the nature of the prayer spoken of in Ephesians 6. It is not the ordinary, common, general prayer. It is very high, being uttered from the realm of the heavens.
God’s kingdom is the sphere of God’s rule. The Bible shows us that God’s plan, on the positive side, is to have Himself expressed in His Son. On the negative side, God’s plan is to have His authority carried out in the whole universe so that the entire universe may become His kingdom, the sphere of His rule. In reading the Scripture, we should always keep in mind the two aspects of God’s plan.
From the outset, Genesis chapter one shows us God’s image and God’s dominion. God’s intention in the universe is that He might be expressed and that His kingdom might not suffer any restriction. So the Lord Jesus began His prayer by saying, “Let Your name be sanctified” (Matt. 6:9), which is a matter of God being expressed. Then He said, “Let Your kingdom come; let Your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth” (Matt. 6:10). This is a matter of God’s kingdom and God’s dominion. The three “lets” in the Lord’s prayer bespeak the two aspects of God’s plan. Throughout the centuries, almost all who are in Christianity have paid much attention to the Lord’s prayer. Every day there are people who recite it; but, unfortunately, the words of this prayer seem to be closed to them. May the Lord grant us mercy and show us that His prayer is for the unlimited spread of the kingdom of God on the earth and in the whole universe. Of course, in order to carry out such a plan of God, there is the need for God’s people to pray sufficiently. The true prayers of God’s people are for His kingdom. You and I may pray for numerous things, but unless the ultimate purpose is for God’s kingdom, those prayers are of no value before God. We admit that in the Lord’s prayer there is the matter of dealing with sins and the matter of the daily living, but its beginning and ending are entirely for the kingdom of God. In the beginning it says, “Let Your kingdom come; let Your will be done on earth.” At the end it says, “For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.” Therefore, this prayer shows us that He wants our prayer to be wholly for God’s kingdom.
The situation in Revelation 12 depicts the true prayers of the saints. There we are shown the woman bringing forth a man-child. The woman signifies the totality of the redeemed ones. The man-child signifies the stronger part of the redeemed people, that is, the overcomers in the church. We need to realize that the woman and the man-child whom she brought forth did pray. Their voices reached God, so following the rapture of the man-child there was war in heaven. Consequently, God’s enemy was cast out from heaven to the earth. Then there was a loud voice in heaven saying, “Now is come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ” (Rev. 12:10). Hence, once God’s people utter the real prayers, the result is always the ushering in of God’s kingdom. On the other hand, without the prayers of God’s people, there is no way for God’s kingdom to come. The coming of the kingdom is absolutely related to our prayers.
The examples in the Old Testament also confirm this. When the children of Israel were in captivity, Jerusalem was destroyed, the temple was burnt, and the nation of Israel was in complete collapse. At that time God raised up several men of prayer in Babylon. Daniel and three of his friends were competent in prayer. Their prayers brought in the kingdom. God’s kingdom had come to the earth through David, but after Solomon’s time it was defeated again. In Babylon, Daniel was praying precisely for this matter, so that God’s kingdom might be brought back once more to the earth. It was completely due to Daniel’s prayer that God was able to build the temple, restore Jerusalem, and have the dominion. Therefore, we must be clear that whether or not God’s kingdom can come and whether or not He can rule on earth all depend on whether or not God’s people will pray. The ultimate purpose of prayer is for bringing in God’s kingdom.
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